We are delighted to report that after a long campaign by Amnesty, Reprieve and other organisations, Ali al Nimr has been released from prison in Saudi Arabia. It can sometimes feel that campaigning for the release of people held for their beliefs or opposition to the government is a lost cause. This shows that it can sometimes work and the full story and background can be seen here in a statement by Reprieve.
The death penalty in USA
Eloquent piece by Clive Stafford Smith of Reprieve concerning the death penalty in the USA
Stafford Smith has represented many individuals on death row in the USA so his experience of a dysfunctional and unfair system is considerable. Many more black people are convicted than white people. There is no obligation on the police to make exculpatory evidence available. Prisoners spend decades on death row going through seemingly endless appeals. One case – Kris Maharaj – which we have highlighted on this site, is a case of miscarriage gone badly wrong. Despite copious evidence that he had nothing to do with the murder, he still languishes in prison in Florida. New evidence cannot be introduced at the appeal stage. The level of mistakes is high at around 10% and one of the problems with executions is that they cannot be put right.
Judges may have little criminal experience. Defendants are usually poor and cannot afford experienced or capable lawyers.
This account is of the USA but we should remember that the system is much worse in some other countries of the world: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran for example and that thousands are executed in China where details are a state secret.
Source: Al Jazeera
Birthday greetings to Ali al Nimr
Saudi Arabia: Send a message to Ali al Nimr for his birthday
This is a post from Reprieve.
Ali al-Nimr will turn 26 years old on December 20, 2020.
He’s been locked away from his family for seven years, and on death row in Saudi Arabia for five.
His so-called ‘crimes’ include “explaining how to give first aid to protesters.” For that, Ali was tortured until he signed a ‘confession’.
Ali shouldn’t be on death row. He shouldn’t be alone on his birthday. For further details see this link to a previous post.
Will you write a message to Ali for his birthday and remind him that he is not alone?
Kris Maharaj: Florida
Kris Maharaj remain in prison in Florida despite being found innocent
Today is Marita Maharaj’s birthday.
She is 81 years old – she’s now had 34 birthdays without her beloved husband Kris by her side.
It’s been a difficult year for the elderly couple. A judge found that Kris was innocent by “clear and convincing evidence” but still refused to order his release.
Marita worries about Kris, this year more than ever before – he’s 81 years old, in poor health and at risk of the worst effects of coronavirus in a crowded Florida prison. And because of the pandemic, instead of a visit each week, she has not been able to see him since March.
Further details can be found on this link about this shocking case and miscarriage of justice in America.
Saudi promises shown to be false
Solemn promises by Saudi authorities about ending the death penalty for minors may not be true
Reprieve reports that a promise by the Saudi authorities to end the death penalty for minors does not look it is going to happen. A juvenile sentenced to death for trivial offences could still take place. See the full story published by Reprieve.
Saudi Arabia:
Juvenile under sentence of death
[This is a post from Reprieve]
Mohammed al-Faraj was 15 when he was arrested while leaving a bowling alley in Medina, Saudi Arabia. He was tortured into confessing to ‘crimes’ linked to non-violent protesting, including attending a funeral at the age of 9.
By any measure he was a child when these so-called ‘crimes’ took place.
He should not have been arrested and he certainly should not be facing a death sentence today. On April 26, Saudi Arabia announced a royal decree that would end the use of death sentences for children like Mohammed. Yet, a loophole in this decree means that the judge in Mohammed’s case will still be able to sentence him to death. [1]
Reprieve has just taken on Mohammed’s case. We are going to need to build up his campaign for justice quickly.
Reprieve needs your help to make sure the international spotlight is on Saudi Arabia. We know they are sensitive to their public image right now, and we can use that to make sure they do not sentence Mohammed to death.
Please share Mohammed’s story today Facebook link or Twitter link
Together, the Reprieve community brings hope to people like Mohammed who have no one else to turn to. Thank you for being a part of this community.
[1] “Saudi Arabia Says It Will Stop Executing Children. But Read the Small Print | Opinion,” Newsweek (May 18, 2020). See below:
Seeking justice in Bahrain
Today is the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.
This is a post by Reprieve which we are republishing today (26 June 2020) in view of its significance.
Please spare a thought for Husain Moosa and Mohammed Ramadhan. Husain and Mohammed are two victims among thousands in Bahrain’s broken justice system. Reprieve works in Bahrain to challenge the rampant use of torture in cases where it is used to put people like Husain and Mohammed on death row.
Reprieve are asking will you chip in and help them end the use of torture in Bahrain and beyond?
Reprieve are challenging Husain and Mohammed’s death sentences. Their so-called ‘confessions’ are the only evidence used against them – and the Bahraini authorities obtained them using torture. If we win their case in Bahrain’s highest court, we will save their lives and have the chance to set a game-changing precedent in the small country, signalling that torture can never lead to justice.
This case isn’t easy. Proving to Bahraini courts that their own justice system failed Husain and Mohammed requires a lot of creativity and time from our investigators, lawyers and campaigners. And that’s why I need your help to keep this work going.
If you visit the Reprieve site you will be able to contribute – even a small amount will help.
See some of our previous stories about Bahrain:
Salisbury firm alleged to be selling spyware to Bahrain
Anniversary of Saudi execution
Zakia’s husband was one of the 37 people killed in a mass execution in Saudi Arabia on April 23, 2019
Saudi Arabia has taken my husband, and now won’t let us grieve. My children and I want to bury him and pay our respects. We deserve that much. Zakia Albakheet
These executions happened without warning, so Zakia and other families never had the chance to say goodbye. Now, Zakia is fighting for the right to bury her husband, Abbas al-Hassan, whose body was never returned. Together, we can help.
Will you share Zakia and Abbas’s story from Newsweek with your friends and family, marking the anniversary of Saudi Arabia’s 37 illegal executions one year ago today
The Saudi government beheaded Zakia’s husband despite multiple protests from the United Nations. It was an injustice – and it continues so long as the Saudi authorities prevent her from burying her husband, and mourning his death. Abbas deserved a fair trial and a fair chance at justice. He didn’t get it. Now, a year after his execution, his wife Zakia deserves the chance to say goodbye. With your help, we can make sure her story is known and that Saudi authorities are held to account.
The Reprieve community has shown that the Saudi government is sensitive to its image on the international stage. Together, we have kept the stories of Ali al-Nimr, Dawood al-Marhoon and Abdullah al-Zaher in the public eye and continue to push British politicians to speak up for them.
Together, we can fight for Zakia to have the chance to say goodbye to Abbas. Please share their story in Newsweek with your friends and family.
Source: Reprieve
Ali al-Nimr: Saudi Arabia
Reprieve have highlighted again the plight of Ali al-Nimr in Saudi Arabia
Arrested as a minor and confession achieved through torture
Ali al-Nimr was 17 years old – a minor – when he was arrested on 14 February 2012 in Qatif, a town in Saudi Arabia known to be a centre for pro-democracy demonstrations. After his arrest, officers of Saudi Arabia’s General Intelligence Directorate interrogated and tortured him. Ali signed a confession that one of his interrogators wrote for him, even though he did not understand what he was signing. Throughout his interrogation and prior to his trial Saudi authorities denied Ali the right to speak with a lawyer.
Reprieve, in a recent communication say:
Ali has spent the last 6 years on death row with the threat of execution hanging over him. A threat made worse by coronavirus. Our investigators, lawyers and campaigners are working hard to free Ali and others who were sentenced to death as children in Saudi Arabia.
With your help, we’ve made sure Ali’s life has been protected so far by making sure British politicians speak up for him. But this is not an easy campaign – and it’s not one we can pause for a moment, even during this pandemic. 20 April 2020
Amnesty has campaigned on his behalf and a post with the mother’s story can be read here.
When Ali’s story first surfaced, the UK’s shameful role in promoting Saudi Arabia’s membership of the UN’s human rights council was revealed via Wikileaks.
Reprieve notes that Saudi has executed its 800th individual in 5 years. Since King Salman bin Abdulaziz came to power five years ago, the execution rate has doubled from the previous 5 years.
We urge you to take action and this can simply done via the Reprieve site the link for which is below:
https://reprieve.org.uk/take-action/
Picture: Amnesty
Sources: Reprieve; Amnesty International; American for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain; Independent
[update 22 April with different picture]
Justice denied – again
Justice for Kris Maharaj has been denied again in Florida. After all the work that was done to prove that he was innocent, he still languishes in gaol after 33 years. It was hoped his hearing – already delayed by several months – would have been heard this month and he would be freed. But now it has been delayed again, this time indefinitely. You can read the full story by Clive Stafford Smith of Reprieve who must be close to despairing that this rotten US justice system will ever admit its mistake and release him.
Amnesty in Salisbury & South Wiltshire 